Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum

This is one of those spaces that might have been exceptional a few years ago when used for its original intended purpose, but is starting to lose it’s luster. I know a Byzantine Catholic priest who actually celebrated Mass at the museum, and while he had a high impression of it back then, he said it’s seriously lost it’s appeal after they removed the frescos and repurposed it as a feature gallery for the Menil Collection.
I went by to visit when they were displaying The Infinity Machine, a twirling display of mirrors set to sounds of the universe recorded by telescopes and probes. The experience was definitely something different and unique, but nowhere what I’d expect from something called a Byzantine Fresco Chapel.

The Bryzantine Fresco Chapel has reopened and is so worth going to. The new exhibit is The Infinity Machine, a project by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller. It was commissioned for the chapel and is a mobile of antique mirrors set to music and lights. As always, the chapel is free and opened most days from. 11 — 6. Go and relax in the calm atmosphere. You won’tregret it.

Bummer that it closed March 4, 2012. Showed up and discovered the bad news.

Unfortunately the Byzantine Fresco Chapel closed months ago. Nobody has posted about it, so I figured I’d update my review to reflect these changes. I hope visitors and Houstonians were able to visit this rare and beautiful space while it was still here!
From The Menil: On March 4^th, 2012, the Byzantine Fresco Chapel closed. Its closure marked the end of a landmark agreement, set to expire in February 2012, between the Church of Cyprus and the Menil Foundation. Over the course of three days after the chapel closed, from March 5^th-​7^th, Menil staff and Cypriot officials worked together to deinstall the frescoes and crate them for their long journey home back to Cyprus.

If you did not take the opportunity to check out the Byzantine Fresco Chapel while it was in Houston as part of the Menil, you definitely missed out. It is absolutely breath-​taking! Perhaps I’m a big ol’ softy, but I was truly moved by the frescoes, and they are really something to be experienced rather than described. To my knowledge, the frescoes returned to Cyprus upon leaving Houston, but there are photos and videos around that provide a small shred of what you missed.

The Byzantine Fresco Chapel was part of the Menil Collection. Unfortunately, Sunday March 4 was the last day to see this artistic and spiritual wonder and now this fresco treasure is on its way back to Northern Cyprus, where it will be displayed at the Byzantine Museum in Nicosia. I’m pleased and humbled that I got the chance to see these wondrous frescoes before they returned home.
The Chapel was opened in February 1997 and displayed masterworks from the 13^th century – a dome with Christ Pantocrator and an apse depicting the Virgin Mary the Panayia. This innovative 4,000-square-foot building, was designed by architect François de Menil. The interior combines rough stone, opaque glass, and rich woods, to create a space that is both art museum and spiritual space. The suspended-​glass «walls» are not replicas of the chapel that the frescoes were removed from, but create a new context for displaying the icons. I took turns sitting in various parts of the Chapel and felt enveloped by Holiness. And I remain a non-​Christian believer.
These frescoes were stolen out of a Chapel near Lysi in the Turkish-​occupied section of Cyprus in the 1980s, cut into 38 pieces, and shipped to Germany by thieves prepared to sell them in the arts black-​market. The 38 fresco fragments were bought from the thieves by the Menil Foundation on behalf of the Church of Cyprus, the rightful owner of the frescoes. The Menil Foundation then funded a careful restoration of the paintings. These intact frescoes are unique in the western hemisphere.
In September 2011 the Collection announced that the frescos would be permanently returned to Cyprus in March 2012, following the conclusion of a long-​term loan agreement with the Greek Orthodox Church. The future use of the Chapel remains undecided and this will certainly be a hard act to follow.

What a beautiful place! These remarkable frescos, preserved in excellent condition despite their history, are placed in a stunning setting: jthe chapel is just perfect in its simplicity and spirituality. A great place to sit and reflect.

Review number five hundy goes out to a unique, and soon to be lost, treasure in Houston: the Byzantine Fresco Chapel Museum.
Part of the Menil collection, the museum is free admission with free parking (either in the lot or along the street), meaning it’s a great free date place. It’s unique not only to Houston, but also to the rest of the Western Hemisphere. The chapel houses the only intact Byzantine frescoes on this side of the globe. Or at least, it will until March 4, 2012.
The frescoes were actually stolen from Cyprus in the 1980s, cut, and sold on the black market. The Menil Foundation, recognizing the opportunity and historical significance, bought the frescoes on behalf of Cyprus and restored them to be displayed in Houston. On March 4, the Foundation will return the frescoes to Cyprus, ending their time in the states.
The chapel itself is rather eerie, a stark dichotomy of modern and pre-​Renaissance. The architect, Francois de Menil (Dominique’s son), replicated a church setting – dome and apse – but used suspended opaque glass that’s rather startling to those unprepared. Lighting within the chapel is part artificial and part natural, offset by the dark walls and built to draw your eyes’ attention to the colorful, intricate frescoes. For those that can’t stand the sheer bleakness of the Rothko Chapel (I love it, but that’s a review for another time), the bright/​dark dichotomy of the Byzantine Chapel may be more alluring.
It’s a marvelous experience, and one I highly suggest you do before it’s gone forever.
For more, check out this outstanding NYT article from when the frescoes first debuted:

Beautiful beautiful beautiful. I do not like religion but I do like some of the artwork that has resulted from it. I was showing my cousin around town and a friend told me the frescoes are leaving in the spring so I better go see them. She was right, they were worth seeing! I didn’t know what to expect when I walked through the doors, but once inside I was impressed. The interior is a blank space that they have turned into modern meets old world art. The white illuminated panels that make the walls of the chapel are a gorgeous juxtaposition to the 13^th century frescoes. The illumination of the artwork and walls is just perfect.
I was lucky enough to go in when a small high school group was discussing the frescoes and their history with a guide. Listening to their private guide made the experience that much more complete. I learned that the large domed fresco was once cut into 27 pieces and sold to individual collectors and has since been put back together. There’s a lot of history behind these works of art.
I’m sad that the frescoes are heading back to Cyprus in the spring but I am glad that I was able to see them before they leave. So should you.

As David N. writes below — read the brochure before you get all the way in. It is a much better experience than sitting in there, shrugging, and walking out in short order.
Great thinking place. Great place to just come on a date and see how thoughtful and reflective your other half is.

I don’t think many fans of the Menil even know this place exists. The Rothko gets plenty of publicity for being such a WTF?! type of place, but this chapel has almost an opposite feel. The Rothko is very bleak, but oddly serene atmosphere, whereas these Byzantine frescos have a very classic church aesthetic.
The frescs are quite stunning even without a back story. The history is definitely interesting, but I’m not gonna go into that since every other review describes it. The contrast of the Byzantine artwork and the very modern feel of the room just seems to work.
This hidden Houston treasure is a must see for the art lover trying to find some peace in the city.

Amazing little gem! Encircled by suspended glass, the beautiful original Cypriot fresco (once torn into 38 pieces by thieves and shipped to Germany) is luminous and intricate. I was immediately struck by the juxtaposition of the floating walls and the 13^th century frescos, along with the rough limestone approximation of the original church outside. Then I began to take in the tranquility of the place — the warmth of the frescos, the coolness of the glass walls, and the pitch dark surroundings make for an unusual oasis in the middle of the structure.
Bravo to the de Menils! This is definitely quite a piece.

This was my first time to the Byzantine Fresco Chapel and was such a great find. Definitely a gem that should be experienced while in Houston. A space dedicated to art, history, and serenity in the middle of a bustling city.
For myself, this modern re-​creation of the chapel is the frame for the frescos. An elaborate installation piece that captures the ethereal feelings of a chapel. Dark and serene. Then when you look up, you find beautiful paintings that could probably tell a million stories.
Overall, it’s a great place to decompress and clear your mind. Walk around the grounds and visit the other museums. Nice grass areas to sit and read a book. If you’re here, you should check out The Menil Collection as well.
Bonus: I found Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen’s «No Borders» food truck in the parking lot of The Menil Collection!

The least-​heralded, but the very finest museum on the Menil campus. The art is conventional byzantine stuff. What matters is the beautifully realized serenity and solemnity that deMenil (The Menils hired their own son for this project) infuses the project with. A small Cypriot chapel is reproduced in etched glass (at full scale), inside a larger building.
So much to enjoy. The emulation of the night sky caused by a hovering black box. The assymetrical adjunct spaces found behind rolling doors. The frisson between history and modernity. And yes, the pleasant surprise that greets you because this is such a little known building.
All the supposed peace and serenity people pretend to find at the Rothko chapel can actually be found here, a blcok away.
Wow. Great project.

The view inside the Byzantine Chapel is absolutely stunning. No other words could be used to describe this intricately beautiful work. The story behind it is also fascinating — it was broken up into nearly 40 pieces and was going to be sold, when the de Menils stepped in and paid the ransom to keep them together. An arrangement was made for it to be kept in Houston, in a rebuilt version of the old chapel in Cyprus, but would remain the property of the Greeks.
The Verdict: A beautiful piece of history — share a glimpse of it if you haven’t yet.

Another creation of Francois de Menil. Good blend of art and spirituality.
This place had a similar feel to the Rothko Chapel. It’s just one room with benches. When you first walk in they have 2 security guards. There is a guest book and some brochures on the left.
I went ahead and walked into the main area and enjoyed the marvelous sight.
After sitting and just letting it all soak in I went towards the back area where I then read the brochure. After reading the brochure I went back into the main room and it was so much more meaningful after knowing the history behind it. I would recommend just reading the brochure first before entering.
It is a very relaxing place to sit and just think.
The only thing that bothers me are the security guards. They just constantly stare at you like you’re going to try to steal something. I got the same feel from all of the Menil created exhibits.

Black Eyed Peas said it best:
«Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y’all, y’all»
Has the weight of the world or the stresses of life inhibited your ability to connect with yourself? I agree with all the reviews that this space is truly a magical gift to all who have entered through its doors. Not knowing quite what to expect, I first thought, is this it? The space is not very large and I had expected much more of the restored Byzantine chapel. However, once I sat down and really started to look at the space, I was awestruck with the incredible artistic vision the designer had in weaving both modern and classical elements into as spiritually uplifting place as any as I have seen anywhere. Spend some time in quiet reflection while sitting in the cool quiet of the serene space. When I left, I emerged both humbled and uplifted at the same time.

The fresco chapel is a beautiful thing. The original fresco in Cypress was cut into 38 pieces and sold off by art thieves. The Menil family bought all 38 pieces and sent them to London to be re assembled. The chapel sets off the fresco ceiling and back altar piece to perfection. I am stunned this place was built by the same family as the Rothko chapel. The fresco chapel is art in the highest form and the rothko chapel down the straight is the complete opposite.

I’ve been all over the world, and never have I experienced the serenity that I did here. The Byzantine Fresco Chapel manages to bridge ancient and futuristic, shadow and light, space and shelter, the spiritual and the material with such inspired clarity that I wonder how anyone could deny that creativity is in union with the divine.
The Byzantine frescoes are cradled by the architecture, but I would not say that you go here to view them as you would in a museum. They’re not so much showcased as they are meant to lend support to the broader experience. While it hosts special ceremonies and was sanctified by a Greek Orthodox priest, the purpose of the chapel is almost solely for meditation. There are no weddings or baptisms here as of now; the baptistry is used for storage and occasional removal of the frescoes for upkeep. The slip of courtyard is worth meandering through for the same reason one would stand at the reflection pool outside of the Rothko chapel. Rare is the place with such penetrating peacefulness.

The Menil foundation and their architect’s have done it again and created another stunning, quiet, serene, spiritual space. The architecture showcasing the works of art (in this case the 13^th century dome and apse of a Byzantine church) is done well. This is another place that you have to experience for yourself, photos simply do not do it justice.